What to do when you’re running bad
June 2, 2009
A month or so ago, I lost an insane amount of money playing cards. I was running so bad that I lost with Pocket Kings twice in one game. I played the next day and I lost to Pocket Kings again. I couldn’t win no matter what cards I held. I was being consistently outdrawn. Worse, people at the table suddenly realized I was extremely unlucky and just started calling me with the most terrible cards. And they would win. Sounds familiar? It should. Every poker player will experience this at different intervals in their lives.
So what should one do if you’re running bad? First, ask yourself if you are playing poorly. Hard to believe (since most poker players have egos as big as their dreams of winning a WSOP Main Event bracelet) but this is likely. When you’re running bad, you often have a tendency to get frustrated with your losses. You might be shoving your chips in every time someone raises you, or try to gamble by betting everything you have on a draw. You could be steaming from sick bad beats and as a result, you are playing recklessly. You should take a step back and assess the situation. Don’t try to play too aggressively just to get your money (and your losses) back. Do this and you might very well make the situation worse.
But what if you’re not playing poorly? Then you’re probably just really running bad. You are just experiencing that infamous downward swing that poker players have come to expect and deal with. So what should you do? Whenever this happens to me, I’ve realized that it is best to leave the game for a while. I take a break until I am mentally prepared to start playing again. I wait until I am fully refreshed and ready to play my game.
Another thing you can consider doing is to move down and play at a lower level. Although it might be tempting to move up a level to recoup your losses, you are more likely to bust and lose your entire bankroll doing this. By moving down, you will be able to rebuild your bankroll and your self-confidence. Sooner or later, your luck will change and if you’re playing optimal poker, you’ll start winning again. Until then, play smart.
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